Where were you the night Barack Obama was elected? This question is bound to be asked time and time again. There are certain events in each country's history that define a generation. For my grandparents it was Pearl Harbor and the stock market crash of 1929. My parents generation was defined by the JFK assassination, Martin Luther King assassination and Woodstock. Generation X has partly been shaped by the challenger explosion.
This of course leads to Generation Y -- the millenials. When I was little I'd hear stories of the 1960's and it sounded like the most exciting time. The U.S. was full of young revolutionairies, mind altering drugs, bell bottom pants, duck and cover drills and an endless parade of events that would never be forgotten. To be clear, I am not advocating mind altering drugs or bell bottoms, but there was something special about the 60's that made my middle school mind yearn for that same kind of excitement.
As it turns out I got exactly what I wanted. The questions that will define my generation will be, "Where were you when the Twin Towers fell?" and "Where were you the night Barack Obama was elected?" Maybe if I'm lucky... "Where were you when the first woman was elected president?" or "Where were you when we dropped our dependence on foreign oil?"
I am very excited and honored to be a part of this generation. My generation will launch the world into a new technological era, we will work to find solutions to the world's energy crisis and hopefully make life just a little bit better for the next generation. In the spirit of hope here are a few of my wishes for the next twenty years in no particular order.
- U.S. and all other nations become energy independent, reducing our global carbon footprint
- Legalization of gay marriage and gay adoption
- Full sex education for all children
- An end to the abortion debate - give women the right to choose
- Better regulation of reproductive facilities (sperm banks)
- Higher educational standards with the government support to make this a reality
- Affordable healthcare for everyone
- An end to war in Iraq
What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
Labels: 1960's, Barack Obama, Election, Generation Y, hope and dreams
